text messages by Trent Mays and Lucas Herrington, used as evidence in the Steubenville Rape Trial, 2013

note

"The purpose of these untranslated and mystical utterances was to sidestep the Devil and to reach God directly." - Teju Cole, in an essay about Loquebantur Variis Linguis and thetradition of "speaking in tongues."

"There is a gestalt that orders things together, and if you pull back further, there's another order there; the things are arranged they are for some reason, it might not be a rational reason, but there is a reason."- David Byrne, regarding his album with Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues

I originally wrote Consent to be paired with a performance of the remarkably beautiful motet Loquebantur Variis Linguis by Thomas Tallis, in which the composer sets the text "the apostles spoke in different tongues."

The above ideas — that to communicate with the holy spirit one had to bypass language entirely, that the structure and meaning of language is inextricably linked to the power structures and hierarchies that created it —set me on a journey to explore language that might have a duplicitous role in my own life.

The text for Consent is a juxtaposition of passages from five different sources: love letters I wrote in 2002, love letters my father wrote in 1962, the Catholic Rite of Marriage, the Traditional Jewish Ketubah (wedding contract), and text messages by high-school students Trent Mays and Lucas Herrington that were used as evidence in the infamous Stuebenville Rape Trial in 2013. I set these words in order to explore my personal relationship to gender inequality and our connection to language that justifies sexual violence.

text: i want youi want to

i want youi want to

i want youi want to

I do.

I was thinking penetrating thoughts about youIt will be good, we can do it, and we need it.

It can be taken from me - even from the shirt on my back.

I was thinking penetrating thoughts about youIt will be good, we can do it, and we need itI miss you too, in a heart-aching kind of way.

All of it shall be mortgageable and bound as security - It can be taken from me - even from the shirt on my back.

I do. I just took care of your daughter.

* * *

Declare your consentThe missing you hurtsYou’ll be in it soonWhat a way to feelWho gives this woman

* * *

i want youi want to

All of it shall be mortgageable - I just took care of your daughter and bound as security - she said you could take a picture

i want youi want to

I just took care of your daughter and made sure she was safe she was so in love with me that night I ask you to state your intentions

All of it shall be mortgageable and bound as security - it can be taken from me, even from the shirt on my back - during my lifetime and after this lifetime, this day and forever.

I just took care of your daughter and made sure she was safe she said you could take a picture she looks dead lmao

* * *I do.

I was thinking penetrating thoughts about youIt will be good, we can do it, and we need it.I miss you too, in a heart-aching kind of wayI’m really looking forward to adding to it

All of it can be mortgageable and bound as security - it can be taken from me - even from the shirt on my back - during my lifetime and after this lifetime this day and forever

How have you been holding out on me with that picture for so long? she said you could take a picture oh i am looking at all my pictures of you

You don’t even want to know what I’m imagining you doing right nowshe was so in love with me that night Declare your consent before God

I just took care of your daughter when she was drunk

* * *

This original amount, I accept upon myself and my heirs after me - It can be paid from the best part of my property and possessions that I own under all the heavens. All of it shall be mortgageable and bound as security - it can be taken from me - even from the shirt on my back - during my lifetime and after this lifetime - from this day and forever.

even from the shirt on my back she said you could take a picture I refuse to get excited

Will you accept children lovingly from God? Declare your consent before God and the church.

I felt knowing what was right she looks dead lmaoi just took care of your daughter

but i also know we are equal to almost any…she said you could take a picture